Brewers' Freddy Peralta was always Yankees' best trade match despite Marlins rumors

The rumored trade package floating around that purportedly tied the Yankees to Edward Cabrera of the Miami Marlins sounded like something every fan — even those who are risk-averse and afraid of Cabrera's elbow — would say an enthusiastic "yes" to without blinking. That's why it never seemed plausible and, unsurprisingly, didn't happen. Instead, the Cubs jumped in and dealt their No. 1 prospect away, something the Yankees would've never done.

We all know how much Brian Cashman covets "years of control" when determining his starting pitching targets, whether he's eyeing starters or relievers. He's not the only one; there's a reason Shane Baz required Baltimore to surrender four top-30 prospects and a draft pick. Baz and his electric, erratic fastball — as well as the concerns about whether it'll ever click into a second gear for him — are under control through 2028. So is Cabrera, whose changeup is already elite, but whose fastball needs work/whose right elbow has been called into question.

These feel like comparable players. And, while teams value prospects differently than evaluator outlets do, and while the Yankees and Marlins have worked comfortably together in the past, Ben Hess and Dillon Lewis plus lower-tier pieces still felt very light, especially given the recent precedent that has been established.

If the Marlins had actually settled at that price point, the Yankees should've smiled and waved them through the gates before they had a chance to back out. But, based on the way things went down, it seems likely they had second thoughts and demanded more, despite Cabrera's likely shaky medicals. That means it's now time for the Yankees to pivot back to one year of Freddy Peralta, and talks have reportedly been ongoing between New York and the Brewers as well.

Milwaukee doesn't intend to take a step back. They require controllable pitching as they look to reload, not rebuild. They also once requested Spencer Jones in exchange for Corbin Burnes, and while Jones' game power has become more of a bonafide in recent years, he hasn't exactly answered the contact questions that lingered prior to the 2024 season, when the Brewers had interest.

Forget about Cabrera and his three years of control. The Yankees should see if Luis Gil/Jones will be enough to satisfy Milwaukee and move on.

Yankees, Brewers have always been a better trade match than Marlins/Edward Cabrera

Of course, this would require Cashman to cover the established rental over the unlockable long-term asset. It would require him to pay for an All-Star rather than a looks-like-an-All-Star-if-you-catch-him-on-the-right-night. It would require him to win a Burnes-esque bidding war and decide he was finally ready to hand Jones over and turn him into someone else's quandary. All three would be out of character.

The rumored Yankees-Marlins package would've involved Miami selling low on Cabrera for whatever reason (editors note: worrisome). Clearly, they found someone more willing to pay a standard price in Chicago. Regardless, Milwaukee and the Yankees have always been a better match than the Marlins and Brian Cashman.

For what it's worth, the Brewers and Yankees were able to get a similar deal across the finish line for Devin Williams last year, which should leave Milwaukee's front office salivating. The Yankees and Marlins, on the other hand, have famously stalled out — across regimes — other than the Jazz Chisholm Jr. trade. Jasson Domínguez and Sandy Alcantara never changed hands. Pablo López was never exchanged for Gleyber Torres, either. This latest development is nothing new. And it should serve as food for thought as the Yankees figure out exactly how they should "wake up" this winter.